ENG1501

Question 1

The Rhyme scheme of this poem is: a,b,a,b,c,d,c,d,e,f,e,f,g,g

Question 2

The tone of this poem seems to be contradictory, ironic and satirical and it seems like the poet is almost mocking someone it also seems to have a sort of humorous tone. For instance where one would expect a man to praise and compliment his lady, Shakespeare is doing the exact opposite. Eg:

* "My mistress' eyes look nothing like the sun;" The sun is bright and could resemble life and happiness but he says that his mistress eyes does not look anything like the sun at all
* "If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;" Snow could resemble a pureness and possibly a coldness white could be seen as a color of pureness aswell and he is a saying that her breasts are dun, a yellowish brown color which could indicate that she is more human and and not someone who is idolized and put on a pedestal, it could also mean that he is saying she is not perfect but he likes the fact that she is average.
* "I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;" This could mean that she might not have the most beautiful voice and Shakespeare is not afraid to tell the world about his Mistress inadecuacy, he might even want to prove a point to say all these mean things about the woman he loves to show that he has a sense of humor about her.

Question 3

I do not think he is mocking his Mistress' looks I think he is using all the beautiful qualities of nature and comparing them to his Mistress to exclaim the fact that she is not this being that is admired for her beauty, in fact she is the opposite of what is seen as a beautiful woman he describes her shortcomings and wants to tell the world that despite * "I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress , when she walks, treads on the ground."

* "And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare." He proclaims ("by heaven") as shortcoming of all the beautiful qualities that other women possess he loves her nonetheless because she is not this goddess personified.

I think that Shakespeare is implying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that he is perfectly happy with his "lady" the way she is thus writing this sonnet to compare her to all the beauty of nature and nature always seems to be in the favour. But regardless of this he loves her.

Question 4

Shakespeare uses the basic principles of a Petrarchan sonnet yet at the same time blatantly mocks it and undermines the metaphors. Instead of comparing his mistress' beauty he accentual the fact that she is not the things of beauty that he describes. Her eyes are not like the sun, her lips are not as red as coral, her breasts are not as white as snow, her hair is like black wires, her cheeks are not the color of roses, her breath smells worse than perfume, music sounds better than her voice, she does not glide like a goddess she treads on the ground. All of the above are examples of how contradictory this poem is to Petrarchan sonnets. Even though Petrarchan sonnets use the same types of comparisons they are used in way to describe the the woman in a positive light not to contradict the features of the woman but rather how similar these features are to the features of the woman.
Its almost as if Shakespeare had decided to take these metaphors and use them in a literal form and decided to tell the truth. Petrarch praises his mistress' beauty by using these metaphors and it seems like Shakespeare had decided to do something completely contradictory to the norm, thus mocking it.

Question 5

Most of the metaphors are used as negative descriptions some of the simile's could also be used plainly as negative description.

"My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;" is not a simile it is a negative comparison.
"black wires grow on her head" is a personification as a wire cannot grow.
"no such roses see I in her cheeks;" is a metaphor as it is not possible for a rose to be in a cheek.

In the rest of the poem we see mostly comparison rather than simile's and metaphors of personifications.

Question 6

If we compare the Sonnet "My Mistress' Eyes are Nothing like the Sun" to the poem "She Is a Woman!" by Jeline Loh we do not really see as many comparrisions to objects the poem by Loh is more Statements made an the woman's ways and the understanding of a modern woman.
This shows us that woman are not so much seen as a lover but more a object of power and confidence she is also seen as a person who is capable of so much more than a object of affection.

She Is A Woman!
Woman is made great in gentleness
Woman is tender and soft in her acts
Woman speaks with deep sincerities
Woman expresses herself in kind ways

Woman assures everything is alright when it is not
Woman stands for her poise though there is doubt
Woman loves passionately like there is no end to it
Woman comforts even when a situation turns worst

Woman always stood for her precious
Woman always choose to be generous
Woman never point fingers at her betrayer
Woman never says no to a pleading stranger

She is a woman who remains anonymous
She is a woman who is indeed magnanimous!

(By Jeline Loh)
Source:(http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/she-is-a-woman/)

Question 7

In my opinion lines 13 and 14 conveys a feeling that contradicts the entire poem this is where the paradox lie. Despite the fact that this woman is portrait as someone who seems rather plain and could possibly be unpleasant on the eye. The writer exclaims and swears by the heavens that this woman who is not a goddess is so dearly loved by him and here we see the change in tone, which is why this poem is so significant, that Shakespeare took the time to write this sonnet may possibly mean that she was his Venus. The tone becomes sincere and romantic.